In Central Florida, tap water is rarely as good as it should be. That is why so many homeowners install treatment, and the first decision is which kind: a whole house water filtration system or a water softener. They solve different problems, and buying the wrong one is a common and expensive mistake.
Here is the difference between the two, and which is the right choice for your property in Lakeland, Plant City, Winter Haven, and surrounding communities.
How a Whole-House Filtration System Works
A water filter removes impurities from water to purify it. Whole-house systems use different techniques to do it:
- Reverse osmosis
- Ion exchange
- Catalytic conversion
- Oxidation
Each type works on heavy metals, VOCs, chlorine, and other substances in your tap water. Any water filter removes harmful elements so the water is safer to cook with and drink. The system feeds filtered water to your bathrooms, kitchen, laundry room, and the rest of the house. If your concern is only drinking and cooking water at one tap, an under-sink filtration system does that job for far less.
Our plumbers test your water first. Recommending a system without knowing what is in the water is guesswork.
Water Softeners Help Remove Hard Water Stains from Appliances
Water filter is a broad term. A water softener is a specific one: it targets hardness. In other words, a softener is a type of filtration. Hard water is high in calcium and magnesium, which leave deposits in your pipes and damage your appliances.
Installing a softener protects your plumbing and your expensive appliances. Hard water also roughens laundry and leaves spots on glassware. Our post on how hard water could be harming your home covers the full damage list, and the scale it leaves behind shortens the life of a water heater faster than almost anything else.
There are two types of softeners: sodium-based and salt-free. A salt-free water conditioner suits households watching sodium intake, since the sodium-based type raises the sodium content of the water slightly.
Water Filters vs. Water Softeners
In short: a water softener is one kind of water filter, and water filter covers many options. Which one you need depends on what is actually in your water, whether that is hardness or a different impurity.
If your water smells like sulfur or chlorine, look at a whole-house filtration system. If it leaves white crust on the faucets and spots on the shower door, you have a hardness problem. Our guides to removing rust and mineral deposit stains and removing hard water stains from shower glass will get the marks off in the meantime, but treatment is what stops them coming back.
Scale does the same thing inside the pipes that it does on the glass. In older homes that buildup contributes to the pressure loss and pinhole leaks that lead to repiping, and it is one reason maintaining your sinks and fixtures is easier in a softened house. Treated water also cuts down on the volume you run waiting for clear water, which pairs with the other ideas in how to decrease water usage in your home.
If you are experiencing any issues with the water in your central Florida home, our plumbers can help.
Bad smell, staining, or an off taste all point to the same conclusion: your home needs treatment of some kind. At True Plumbers & AC, licensed under CFC1428965 and working in Central Florida since 2009, we install water filters, water softeners, and conditioners. We work throughout Lakeland, Plant City, Winter Haven, and beyond, and we handle the leak detection and repairs that come up along the way. Call our plumbers at (863) 667-6364 for an estimate.
